Nightmares
by N.D. Stark
Summary: Peter is being followed. It watches him in the dark, never any closer or farther away. It's prevented him from seeking safety. He's afraid it could hurt someone. Landing on someone's roof saved his life. Or did it? (more reviews make more chapters! TASM, slight TASM2 indication. Post TASM2.) T for gore. /Very/ Dark
1. Chapt 1: Bleeding Out

**Hello guys! I had this strange dream, where Spider-man. (I was Spider-man) was on the run, and was absolutely starving. Actually, I was. And I/Spidey couldn't go back home because something was chasing me/Spidey. It was extremely scary, which is why this is classified as horror, but isn't really that horrifying save all of my/Spidey's injuries. And the other thing was, I had no idea was chasing me. It was big, brown, and had long claws for hands, and it could shape shift. It could change into anything, even Venom or the Goblin as long as it knew what those where. Thank gosh it wasn't smart. And it was bloodthirsty. (I woke up screaming in my apartment.) Do you guys any ideas on what it could be? It might be something I completely made up, but could I have some help figuring out?**

**Anywho, let's get on with it!**

* * *

Spider-man should be invincible. But he wasn't. And he was hurting. He was still human, a boy named Peter Parker. Something had gone terribly wrong while he was stopping a bank robbery. They had managed to hit him. And it hurt. It was right there in his leg. The bullet. He could remember hearing the trigger as clear as day, trying to jump out of the way; but not making it for some odd reason. Fate hated him. He was tired of being late. He was too late when... the clock tower. He couldn't bring himself to remember.

So here he was. Escaping. Trying to fruitlessly to find a way out. That bullet had slowed him down a lot. He could hardly keep his place on the ceiling. He knew he had to stay while the police came. So here they where. Arresting the nut-jobs who thought they could rob a bank. They could shoot Spider-man. His head was growing lighter by the minute, and he knew that any second he could faint and fall to the floor. It seemed that fate absolutely despised him when one of the police turned around. Why did people think he'd murdered Captain Stacy? He didn't know. He was just hurting. That was all he cared about. And now he was wanted. He could see the taser cartridge coming straight for him. He couldn't dodge. It hit him. It hurt more. He let a wild yelp escape his lips as he tried to cling to the ceiling a bit longer. His breathing was heavy. It was getting harder to breathe.

"Stop!" It was one of the other Captains. Spider-man cocked his head as he tried to inch back more.  
"Do people shoot you after you stop a bank robbery? This guy didn't kill Captain Stacy! You saw the video feed! It was the Lizard!" The officer continued as he ripped the taser gun out of the other officer's hands. The first officer left the building in embarrassment while the other saluted Spider-man before clearing the scene.

Spider-man let out a heave of relief before swinging out the front entrance. The sun was hanging low over the warm summer city, and Spider-man frowned to himself under the mask. He couldn't go home. Something had been following him for the past month, and his Spider-sense was on edge, always ringing in the back of his head and reminding him of it. He had told his Aunt he was staying with a friend, deciding on a collage. Collage. He sighed. Don't remind yourself.

Spider-man was puzzled over the fact the his aunt still hadn't figured out he was Spider-man. But at least he got away with it. Suddenly his leg wracked in pain. He glanced down quickly to see it gushing blood. He wanted to throw up. Suddenly his arms where shaking from strain and he felt hungry. He'd run out of money for food last week anyway. He was always hungry. But only now it was getting to him. He felt the pit of his stomach sink as he swung to the nearest building. It happened to be a large apartment complex, there was plenty of scrap wood and plants to hide behind on the roof if anyone came through the stairwell door to his luck. He barely managed to make it to the edge, where he strained to pull himself up. By now the sun was meagerly swinging below the horizon, the silhouettes of the skyscrapers outlined in the red-gold light. It would have been beautiful. Except he was alone. And he was in pain. His heart, his head, his leg, his stomach. It all hurt. He still hadn't fixed his costume, and it had grown ragged over the past month. Torn to shreds. Almost. It still hung onto his thin frame. He missed Gwen so badly. He shook the thought away as he lifted up the mask to breathe in fresh air.

Suddenly the web slinger slid behind a pile of scraps as the door to the stairwell opened. A young woman carrying a pot exited it, a little girl following her. The girls arms where laden with flowers.

"Right there Natalia." The woman said with a smile.  
The girl set the flowers down, and stopped as she looked at some of the flower that where already planted.  
"Look mommy! I spider!" The girl -Natalia- exclaimed. She cupped her hands around the arachnid she was talking about.  
"That's a daddy longlegs." The woman explained. "Look! It's web isn't it beautiful Natalia?"  
The girl nodded.  
"I bet if you keep a sharp eye out you can spot Spider-man." The woman said.

Spider-man turned away from the two as the woman started to plant more flowers. He attempted to crawl towards the edge, only to collapse on his side with a small yelp. The woman whirled around quickly.

"Who's there?" She called. The girl looked at her mother.  
"What is it mommy?" She asked oblivious to the sound that Spider-man had let slip past his lips.  
"Stay there." The woman said forcefully. The girl froze. "Hello?" The woman called again.

Peter curled in on himself with a whimper. The woman heard it and imeadeatly searched in that area. She gasped when she found him. The once brightly colored suit was dull and dirty, covered with dried blood and tears. He was clutching his leg for dear life as he muttered something inaudible. Through the rips and tears all she could see was skin and bone. His hands and arms where shaking slightly, as was his ragged breathing. The back of the suit was torn to shreds, dried blood covering his back. His chin and half of his face was caressed with purple. Wet hot tears fell from behind the lenses and found their way through his mask.

"Natalia! Get me a phone! Now!" The woman yelled. "And get your father!"

The girl jumped up from her perch and raced down the stairs.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" The woman exclaimed as she looked over the dying form before her. "Breathe!"  
Peter's chest heaved as he desperately tried to get up.  
"Stay down! Your gonna hurt yourself!" The woman exclaimed as she pushed his arm down. She took a deep breath. "I'm Ava. What should I call you?"  
"Peter..." His voice drifted as he started to hack.  
"Ava! Oh my god! What happened!?" A new voice joined in.  
"Mark! We need to get him to a hospital!" The Ava stammered.

The girl handed the woman the phone. She dialed 911.

The man picked Peter up gently. "Spider-man!? What happened to you? You seemed fine this morning." The man said. It was the police from earlier that day at the bank.  
"I was twelve feet above you on the ceiling," Peter choked. "People tend to miss out on..."  
Peter started hacking again.  
"It's gonna be alright Peter." The woman tried to reassure him.

The man carried Peter down the stairwell. Neighbors of the small family peeked out of their apartments as they skidded past. Soon the ambulance arrived and whisked the hero to the hospital. The whole time, Peter was muttering an unrecognizable name.

"Mark?" Ave asked quietly. "Do you think he'll be ok? Natalia was..."  
"I don't know Ava. I don't know." Mark answered.

* * *

**BUM, BUM, BUUUUMMM! CLIFFHANGAR!**

**If you want to find out what happens to Spidey, I ask for 5 reviews. That's it! It doesn't matter how long it takes, but the sooner I get 5 reviews, the sooner I continue this fic! **


	2. Chapter 2: Human

**Due to the popular demand of 5 reviews, I have updated this. Lol. Sorry it took so long guys! Tell me if this truly freaks you out, I wanna know. 2 more Reviews make another chapter!**

**And... I have finished school for the year! Yay! XD**

**BTW, I will maybe.. MAYBE have another cliffhanger waiting for you at the end. I tried to make it longer. **

* * *

Peter tried desperately to stay awake. The sound of the ambulance was deafening as it pulled in on the side of the road. His eyes flickered back and forth under the lenses of the mask. He could see the anxious people. He could even see a news crew and a few reporters to the sides. How fast they managed to get there he wasn't sure. Peter felt himself being lowered onto something. It was unbelievably soft compared to the concrete he was currently accustomed to laying on when he managed to steal a few winks. He felt like he was going to sink through the floor. He felt prick in his arm and he hissed in pain. He felt whatever he was in being rolled and bumped up higher. His vision began to grow fuzzy as he felt the painkillers doing their work. It felt wonderful.

Suddenly he started to panic as his world started to fade away and he felt an oxygen mask being pressed over his mouth.

* * *

_It was there, chasing him relentlessly. The morbid creature. It was a disgusting brown, not much different from the pit monster Luke Skywalker had to fight. A rancor, Peter thought. Except this rancor was much smaller, only seven or eight feet tall. Its snout was longer, almost feline. It's claws where also longer, and glinted silver. There were four on each hand. And the scariest part was, it could shape shift. If it knew what something looked like and how it acted, it could be it. It could be Electro, Harry, even Gwen or Aunt May._

_It was always there in the shadows, watching him from a distance. Anyone that came too close was mauled. Unless it wanted to remain hidden. It was never any farther or closer than a hundred yards away. And he always knew it was there, in costume or not. Watching. Waiting. He always had that feeling in the back of his head, tingling, telling him it was there. _

_He had once heard it say a name. Pent. . Peter assumed Pent had made this creature and was after him for some reason, waiting for the perfect moment to do something. What that was he wasn't sure. But the thought scared him. _

_The one time he had tried to attack it, take it off guard didn't end well. At first it had just looked at him. He could see it was curious. But when he jumped on it, it lashed out with its dagger-like teeth and claws. They slashed through the scars the lizard had given him, and it had hurt so terribly bad. But then it just ran away. But it was still there. To this day. Following him. _

_Every time he saw it, he grew scared, unable to focus. He could always feel it. Watching. Waiting…_

* * *

The vigilante felt himself gain consousness as he heard the steady beeping of a heart monitor drone through his ears. The mask was respectably pushed up a little bit above his nose, which made him relax a bit. His eyes drifted about the room and rested on the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. It stood in the corner of the room, partially hidden by the shadows. A heavy wave of vertigo came over him suddenly as it came closer.

It had actually gotten closer to him.

And it kept coming closer. A light _thud, thud, thud _emended through the small room as it grew closer. Peter had started to panic, and it was clear his heart was beating at excessive rates, due to the rapid beating of the heart monitor. It kept coming closer, closer, closer, until it was leaning over him.

"_Be ready… little spider… Master has plans… for you…a favor… for someone you know…" _It hissed. The sound of its haggard voice made Peter squirm on the spot. He wasn't sure if he could get up. He wasn't sure if he even could get up, and even if he did, what would It do to him?

The creature moved back to where it had been before, the same sound emitting from its large, deformed, elephant like legs. And it just vanished. Just like that. Gone with the wind, out the window and who knows where. Peter swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, still shivering from the fear that had been sent through his entire being. It was cold all of the sudden, like someone had dumped him into a tank full of ice water and then in a freezer. He curled in on himself, hoping it would make him feel better to be a smaller target for whatever had him. But then it was gone, just as fast as It had disappeared. As if on cue, a nurse entered the room.

She must have heard the still rapid beating of the monitor, and rushed in; seeing Peter curled in on himself again.

"It's alright darlin', ain't nothin' 'ere to hurt ya." The woman said softly, a Boston sounding accent making its home in her voice as she moved slowly towards him.  
Peter shook his head, still curled into a ball.  
"It's ok." She tried again, only to receive another shaking head.  
"_It _was _here_. It could've _killed _me." Peter whispered, surprised at the sound of his voice. It was shaky and very quiet, almost rasping.  
"What was that sugar?" The nurse asked again, concern on her voice. She wasn't sure she had heard him right, though she heard him well.  
"It could have killed me…" Peter said again, now shivering violently. "I knew it was following me… It said it would come soon… a favor for someone I know. I don't know who…"  
"What was it?" The woman asked cautiously, now very confused.  
"My nightmare." Peter said simply as he tried to curl into a tighter protective ball." My nightmare that killed everyone…"

The vigilante's heart was beating incredibly fast, unbelievably fast. The pressed the red button on the side of the bed and said something into it, probably for help. Peter didn't care.

There was the pounding of a few sets if feet, then it stopped adruptedly as he assumed they saw him there, shivering with fear as he tried to calm himself down.

"What happened?" Someone asked the nurse. It sounded masculine, so he assumed it was probably a doctor.  
"I came in here, and he was like that." The nurse said. "I asked him what happened; he said it was his nightmare. He said it could've killed him, that it said it would come do something as a favor for someone he knew." The nurse finished.  
"His nightmare?" The man asked, a bit taken back. He then sighed. "It might be a delusion, but with people like him popping up every week it could be anything."  
A third male voice, this time deeper joined the conversation, but instead of being directed to the doctors, he assumed whoever it was had asked him. "What was it?"  
"My nightmare…" Peter said again, earning a few looks of concern between the people. The stopped when he continued. "It was my fault, I made it. It was my fault, it was my nightmare. Someone took it. Someone made it real. It was my fault, it was my fault. It killed everyone, it was my fault…"

Peter shuddered before slowly uncurling himself and looking at all the people in the room. There was a doctor and a nurse, and also someone who looked important, probably a detective or police. They were probably here to figure out what had happened to Peter.

"What does it look like?" The important looking person asked, leaning down to the bed like the vigilante was a child needing to be spoken to.  
Peter shuddered again, but told the man anyway. "It's big. It had to bend down a bit to fit in here… when it walks it makes noise, but the legs are bigger than they sound. Like a rhino's, just… deformed… and it has short arms with claws that look like swords… it's ugly… it's terribly frightening at the same time… it's face looks like a cat's with the ears cut off… and its teeth are big enough too… too…" Peter sighed, before skipping that part and continuing," And it's eyes. Big black… soulless eyes… They could suck the thoughts right out of your mind and make them it's own. Make it look like you. Act like you… it follows me everywhere. Please, let me out before it kills someone! Please! I don't want to be responsible for it killing someone else!" He suddenly exclaimed, sitting bolt upright in the hospital bed. His heart started beating faster again, losing any calm he had earned before. "It killed them! It killed them all! It's my fault it's my fault! It killed them! It killed her! It's my fault!" He slowed down and sunk back into the bed. "It's my fault…"


	3. Chapt 3: Medicine

_It was everywhere. A flash of light, the air he breathed. It was all dark, hard to see. All he could feel was the floor below him. He could sense the ceiling high above; an ominous cavern of nothingness. _

_"Don't be afraid... little Spider... Master knows you... very well..."_

_The floor was red, bones and scraps of fabric emerging as his eyes adjusted to the haunting haze that hung over him, whispering in his ear. _

_"Run little Spider... we wills find... you... we wills crack every bone... in your tiny... little body... if we have too..."_

_And it was there. He could see it's outline, red amongst the black. He wished it would go away. It got closer. Closer, wrapping it's thin hands around his frail neck as he tried to escape into the dark, hoping it wouldn't find him..._

Peter jolted awake, now alone in the small white hospital room. He wasn't sure if the people who were helping him believed his story. After all, it was hard to believe a monster was following him, especially in the way he portrayed it. They probably thought he was insane. Next thing he knew he would probably be sent to some asylum. He hoped not.

The weak vigilante sat quietly, enveloped in trying to figure out how to escape so it wouldn't hurt anyone.

Hours ticked by, he didn't bother counting. The nurse came in occasionally, but he was mostly alone, even with all of the people he could see waiting outside to try and catch a glimpse of him. He didn't care really.

_"It is time... little Spider..."_

Peter's head snapped everywhere, trying to find the source of the noise. His heart was beating faster, even though he was no longer attached to the monitor. He could hear his own heart thumping rapidly in his chest.

"Go away." Was all he could muster. He couldn't find it.

But then It was there, right in front of him, the slow lumbering beast. Instead of staying the way it was, it changed into a more suitable shape; much faster, stronger and more agile just in case. It's skin shifted green as they transformed into scales, It's eyes growing smaller as a large tail spouted from behind. He recognized it. It scared him.

His fear changed into a rush of adrenaline. He launched himself onto the ceiling, hopeful in gaining the advantage of higher ground. But instead his opponent lashed out its newly grown tail; taking him by the foot.

With a yelp he was thrown across the room at an alarming rate. He landed on the floor with a thud, wishing his sealed lungs would open so he could regain the air that had been knocked out. He blinked as the world seemed to slow down a few notches, and it blurred after a few seconds of being on the floor. A sudden surge of both whiplash and vertigo washed over him as he tried to get to his knees.

It wrapped its tail around him, pinning his arms to his sides. It looked at him, obviously curious of its struggling prize. The wounded vigilante then realized that its eyes hadn't changed. They were still the same soulless black ones he had come to fear. Careless to its surroundings, the creature – still in its opposing form – broke open the window, and flung Peter out; where he landed with an even louder crash than before.

The nearby crowd scattered, a hushed wave of surprise and shock echoing amongst them. The nearby cars stopped with jolts, both passengers and drivers either cheering or exchanging looks of concern. The nearby police rushed to help Peter up as he sat up to the side, trying to catch his breath again.

His suit had been ripped to shreds on one side, his arm now a light red. A lens on his mask had cracked and fallen, revealing the fearful and teary brown eye formerly hidden beneath.

"No! Stop! Get back!" He exclaimed, his cry shaky and only barely loud enough for the officers to hear.

It was suddenly there again, the way it had always been. The crowd and police officers withdrew in shock, fear, and disgust at the creature they laid eyes on.

"_Do not run… little Spider…" _The creature hissed in amusement, again taking the form of the Lizard.

By this time Peter was up on his knees and hands, taking a spider like poise; ready to scatter away and up a building any second. A tingle went off in the back of the vigilante's head, and the tail struck out again. This time he rolled out of the way, only barely avoiding it.

Suddenly his brain was rattling. Peter fell to his knees and held his hands to his head in hope it would disappear. He let out a cry of pain as the vibrations became more intense; and he felt another wave of vertigo arrive.

As if on cue the tail wrapped around him again, for a second time pinning his arms. He squirmed, only to have the flash and bone around him squeeze tighter. He let out a final scream of pain as everything became blurry.

He could hear the sounds of bullets being fired. A roar of anger.

He screamed again as the grip on him grew ever tighter.

Suddenly he fell to the ground.

He groaned, helpless, again trying to get up; only to collapse weakly again.

His arm felt like it was on fire; as well as the leg that had been shot. His hands where visibly red through the blurriness he saw. He felt red hot tears fall through the empty lens.

He shook his head, the voices now falling together in something he couldn't understand.

Then clear as day he say Gwen. Right there in front of him; still as beautiful as he remembered. But in a flash she was gone, and he felt himself raise and arm to shoot a web. It hit a nearby building and he took off, unsure of what he was doing or what was going on. All the sudden he felt something rise in the pit of his stomach and his arm fail to rise to shoot another web. He angled his landing, managing to grab onto the wall of an apartment building before slipping and falling onto a fire escape. Miraculously his vision cleared, and he breathed heavily. He stayed lying on the fire escape.

Suddenly the window flew open beside him. He could tell from the sound it made. A mop of long red hair appeared above him, as well as two bright green eyes. Like emeralds. The expression on their owner's face was pure shock and distraught.

She said something he couldn't make out.

"Don't… no hospital." Was all he could manage before black dots appeared in his vision.

The girl heaved him in through the window and shut it quickly before drawing the curtains.

The last thing he registered before falling into the arms of sleep for a third time was the girl sprinting to the next room; and the distinct beep of a phone.


	4. Chapt 4: The Silence

**More reviews!  
Yay!  
**

**I got twenty now (they might not show up. It was an alert on mwa phone)**

* * *

A grey light found it's way into Peter's brain, making him groan absentmindedly. His arm was burning, much more than the rest of him at least. His eyes fluttered, letting the grey airiness of dawn filter through. He was on a couch, a very small couch; but a couch nonetheless. A large handmade quilt was draped over him, and an open first aid kit sat on the small coffee table. He heard scuffling in the kitchen, no doubt someone was in there.

He sat up, weakly rubbing his head as he tried to gain a better view of the small room. There wasn't much else, to his surprise.  
"You're awake." A voice said.  
He closed his eyes when the migraine from the sudden noise made its way through his ears.  
When he opened them again he saw a tall red haired girl standing in the doorway to the kitchen.  
"Yeah." He mustered, his dry throat burning.  
"Here." She said, extending her arm to hand him a glass of water. He gulped it down.  
"Thanks. I- I should get going." He stood slowly.  
"You can't leave! Have you seen yourself? You're in no condition to go fighting... _things _like that one on TV!"  
She pushed him back down onto the couch, pretty easily to his surprise.  
"But if I stay, It'll come! It could kill you!" But he didn't struggle, fatigue overwhelming him. "I'll be fine..."

The girl stood back quietly, her arms folded. "What is that thing?"  
He didn't answer, instead looking at his feet. The girl sat down on the coffee table, sympathy in her eyes.  
"Alright then. What are you doing out there on your own? Don't you have someone to help you?"  
He shook his head. "She left me a long time ago."  
"Oh." The girl couldn't seem to contain her curiosity. "But, why?"  
"I was having a fight with that psycho who showed up after the power plant went out. And he got her mixed up in the problem and dropped her in the clock tower." He looked at the girl, who was looking out the window as he retold his story. "I managed to catch her, and I told her to run. After that I never saw her again. Maybe she managed to catch that plane to England." He looked at his feet again. "She went to Oxford."  
"That's... nice." The girl said. "But there isn't anyone else? No one?"

Peter looked at her again, trying to look hopeful. "Yeah." He lied. "I should probably go."  
"Wait!" The girl exclaimed as he limped to the window.  
Peter turned around as he reached the fire escape.  
"I'm Mary - Jane. What's your name?"  
"That's the secret that the world will want to know until time ends." Peter smiled for the first time in a few months, swinging away into the awakening sky.

* * *

_**Gwen Stacy  
24 Hours Earlier**_

* * *

Gwen Stacy walked down the polished hallways of Oxford University. She had a small notebook tucked under her arm, and her hair was loose and in curls. She would have been otherwise happy, except for two things.

The first was because she always felt like she was doing the wrong thing. Was she supposed to be here? Should she have stayed?

The second was regret. She regretted leaving behind New York in such a rush, not having the chance to say, 'I love you' before catching a cab in the traffic and riding three blocks to the airport. She wondered, if at all, she would ever see that Bugboy of her's again.

She'd called. She called every night. But he didn't answer.

She walked outside of the castle like development, the grey skies hanging over her shoulders as she left the grounds. She caught a cab - it was still a strange feeling, being on the wrong side of the road - and went to her small brownstone apartment. A few flights of stairs up, she unlocked a door at the end of the hall and walked in to the boxes she still hadn't unpacked yet.

She hadn't been here long. As a matter of fact, only a little bit more than a month, though she still lacked the want to fully unpack. It was a tiny place to put so much stuff. So many memories.

She sighed, sitting on the small sofa - with springs, she noted - and flipped on the small box TV that sat perched in-between two narrow windows. The screen snapped on, a dull hum accompanying the sound of a news reporter reading off of a notecard. Gwen sighed and started folding the clothes in a basket that sat on the other end of the little red couch.

_'Investigators are still puzzling over what happened at what happened in a small hospital in New York this morning. The vigilante known as Spider-Man was rolled in the night before, apparently suffering a large amount of injuries, but surprise wasn't the only thing that he brought with him.  
Some sort of animal - no one yet knows what it is - was reported to be seen attacking Spider-Man on the scene," _The reporter said as a video appeared on the left hand side of the screen. It was blurry, as if taken by a video camera or phone. A large, brown-grey _something _lumbered across the screen. Police officers seemed hesitant about shooting at it.  
Gwen soon saw why, as the beast was standing over Peter.  
She drew in a sharp breath, leaning into the screen and abandoning her laundry on the couch.  
It changed - she was shocked - into the Lizard, taking him up with it's tail as a python would it's prey. The crowd was frantic now, though a few still remained; watching in utter terror and surprise. The police rained fire on it, and the best suddenly dropped Spider-Man. Spider-Man lay on the ground for what felt like hours before getting up and swinging away.

Gwen stood, running to the small bedroom and throwing a handful of clothes into a suitcase, before rushing out the door to the airport.

Gwen Stacy had a plane to catch.

* * *

_**Peter Parker  
New York 12:07 P.M.**_

* * *

Peter groggily woke, finding himself on a tree branch. He stood up, rubbing his eyes (or, eye; the lens of the mask covered the other one) and leaning on the trunk of the tree. He was still tired, and sore from the branch; but it had been just about the best he'd slept the past week.

His arm still burned, but not as much as before. He still had cuts and bruises from yesterday; and almost everything ached from falling out of that window. He grimaced as he looked at his arm; which was a puffy red and had more red cuts across the length of it. He let the limb sag to the side as he looked at the people walked about the park. There was a picnic going on across the river on a stretch of bright green lawn. People walked about the quiet park, shadows of skyscrapers being cast across the trees in the noonday sun.

He lay down on his stomach again, watching the people walloping cheerfully about below. He sighed; whishing he could be doing that just about now. He sat on that tree branch for a long time, thinking about how things were going and hoping they would soon end. Peter soon dozed off, the sun shining through the leaves of the great oak tree he was sleeping in.

He didn't notice when two three little kids ran over the bridge, laughing with screeching with joy as they chased one another. The little boy chased the two girls, who yelped playfully and ran under the tree. The ran around the tree, and Peter was awakened by the noise. He yawned again before closing his eyes and trying to fall back asleep.

The children then stopped and sat down.  
"I won." Stated the boy proudly, laying down with his hands crossed behind his head.  
"No! I did!" One of the girls exclaimed, laying down as well.  
"Hey!" Said the second. "Betcha ya can't hit that thing up there!"

She pointed to the barely visible outline of Peter on the branch, now snoring softly. The boy snickered and found a nearby rock, saying "Watch this!" The rock flew through the air and hit Peter's side. He yelped, loosing his balance and concentration and falling out of the tree. He managed to grab a hold of the branch before he fell all of the way down, now wide awake and panicking.

The three little kids stared, wide eyed at the vigilante. A nearby jogger stopped and watched as well.  
"I'm sorry!" the boy said.  
Peter climbed back onto his tree branch tiredly, chest heaving from the sudden awakening. He crouched on the limb, watching as they stared up at him.

"It's... okay." He finally stammered, and the boy's shoulders sagged in relief. Peter's did the same as he sat down on the tree branch, his legs hanging over the edge. The three little kids remained staring in awe at Peter, who watched warily. After a while a voice called for them, and they left, looking over their shoulders in what seemed like sympathy.

_**New York, New York 5:26 P.M.**_

Peter hung low in the alleys of the city, letting the shadows offer him the shelter and cover he needed as he scrounged the back alleys for anything useful. There wasn't much; though he did manage to stop a few petty crimes. He wondered what the police thought of him as he tended to a small knife cut. He laughed inside. He used to tease people about that.

Soon he found a payphone. It was ironic, he only had enough money left for that. He made the choice to use it. The little slips of metal slid into the small hole and clicked as the receiver turned on. He dialed the number, waiting as the phone rang.  
_"Hello?"  
_Peter took a deep breath, making static climb through the ear piece. "Hi Aunt May."  
_"Peter Parker! Where have you been!?" _His aunt suddenly exclaimed, and he winced as the sound traveled through the ear piece.  
"I'm... I'm sorry. I called to tell you I won't be home for a while."  
He voice softened. _"How come Peter?"  
_He frowned, taking in another breath as silence hung over him.  
_"Peter?"  
_"Okay, okay." He said softly. "I want to tell you something... but I can't. I just can't."  
_"It's aright Peter dear. Just tell me."  
_He stopped at those words, not knowing what to do. But then he just told her.  
"Aunt May... I would have told you earlier... but I couldn't seem to be able too... I-I'm..."  
_"What is it?"  
_"I'm... I'm Spider-Man."  
He leaned on the wall, sliding down the lazily lain brickwork and sliding down slowly, the cord pulling at his ear.  
"I would have told you earlier... I'm sorry." And then he hung up

**oOoOo**

Peter clung to a fire escape in a narrow side street, the shadows from the daunting sun casting over him in a red and black haze.  
_Crash!_

Peter looked hysterically around the small alleyway, his heart beating at a million miles an hour. He froze on the spot, his eyes searching warily about the small area. The wary vigilante crawled slowly on the walls to a dark corner, where he crouched on the wall. He looked again through the grey shadows of the trash bags and boxes that conveniently littered the place. Suddenly, a loud pop echoed through the canyon he crouched in, and he leapt to the side, a dart narrowly missing him. He slid across the brickwork, the dull sound of boots scraping concrete reaching his ears in a lazy hum.  
A second sound uttered through the alleyway, and again he lept to the side. He couldn't feel any presence, yet he _knew _that someone wasn't far away. His eyes felt heavy, and he strained to keep them open.

Suddenly a third blast droned through the silent alley; and for a third time, Peter manage to jump out of the way. But much to his surprise, the projectile was longer. Similar to the ropes with balls on the end from the ninja movies he had watched as a child. n electric current passed through him; not very strong, but still strong enough to leave him clinging unsteadily to the wall. He clenched his teeth.  
"Very clever." He shouted into the shadows. "But not funny. Not funny at all."

He heard the clink of a cocking gun; and he braced himself. Once again, a dull vibration threaded through his mind, but again, the projectile was longer - no, larger than he thought. A net flew over him, and he gasped in surprise as an electric shock ricocheted through him. With a cry of pain he fell to the ground, the net sparking blue in the shadows of the alley.  
Peter closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, crying out again as another shock hit him.

He heard the sound of heavy boots clanking against the concrete and he looked up to see a heavily clad man towering over him. He seemed prepared for anything; right down to the bulletproof jacket and a brown combat boots that seemed out of place. A gun slung over his shoulder, but he couldn't see anything else; his vision was getting blurry.  
"Enough to cause short term paralysis. Quite clever on your part to continue evading me. Not staying in your; -_ ehm _- normal habitats." The man said, answering his confusion. His voice had a German ring to it, making Peter shudder. "In case you were wondering, I am Doctor Pent. I have been hired to capture you. You will be an - interesting specimen to work with." He looked ad Peter with a stern gaze. "And I do take my business very seriously."

Peter watched the man warily as he busied himself with something on what appeared to be a belt. He felt a sharp sting and his vision clouded with black spot that soon overwhelmed him, and he fell into a dreamless but fitfull sleep.


End file.
